"An Illustrated History of Whitman County, state of Washington." San Francisco:
W. H. Lever, 1901. p. 380.
JOSEPH B. JOHNSON
Public-spirited and enterprising, a natural leader among men and well
fitted by nature and attainments to profession. He also served a while as
assistant postmaster in his home town.
In 1888 he came to Whitman county, and located on a tract of land six and a
half mile south of Colfax, also purchasing one hundred and sixty acres of lieu
land from the railroad company. Upon this land he has farmed ever since,
following the diversified plan and raising whatever he thinks can be produced at
the greatest profit.
Mr. Johnson still maintains his interest in educational affairs and his
knowledge of and skill in such matters are fully appreciated by the people among
whom he lives, who have more than once elected him school director. In politics
he is an ardent supporter of the Peoples' party, which once chose him as its
candidate for the legislature and once nominated him for the office of county
commissioner, failing, however, both times to carry in the elections. For six
months our subject was acting manager of the Peoples' Advocate, the exponent of
the Populist doctrine in this county.
On August 30, 1866, in the state of Pennsylvania, our subject married
Sophia A., daughter of Hon. Seneca and Lydia (Crowe) Freeman, and they have one
son, Glenni, born in Pennsylvania, October 9, 1867. Mrs. Johnson's father, Judge
Freeman, was associate justice in Cameron county, also in Potter county,
Pennsylvania, and held the office of city treasurer and many other high official
positions.
Mr. Glenni Johnson was married in Spokane, April 20, 1901, to Miss Francis
M. Corselius, daughter of Jeptha C. and Mary S. (Shelly) Corselius, a native of
Galesburg, Iowa.
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Submitted to the Washington Biographies Project in July 2009 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.